Mr. Karcher's article ("5-point peace plan", #123) instilled me with great pride of being a German. After all, we are known for our meticulousness. As the CEO of the multinational conglomerate UNDP, the multi-pronged 5-point peace plan is the epitome of clear-cut strategy, mission-critical priorities and down to the core execution.
I find it commendable that UNDP utilises its brand value, lean and efficient management and expertise in product placement for "awareness creation and generating a culture of peace". Three decades of development, trial marketing at the root level and the most successful product launches have made UNDP the powerhouse behind the upsurge of Nepal Inc and its shareholders, who feel so richly rewarded that they leave the country for a longer vacation in the south in droves.
Is it therefore a wonder that a strong contender-admittedly with questionable marketing prowess and a dusty, disingenuous label-wants to launch a hostile takeover? After all, raiders get active when they see the unrealised intrinsic value in a company, or an arbitrage position. It is exactly here, that UNDP with its dependable cash flow, asset-lite development strategy and tyco-esque accountability can make the difference: Community level work (which inexplicably has been overlooked before), Track I and II negotiations will ultimately pull the White Knight out of the hat and Human Rights, well, they are de rigeur.
As a taxpayer and thus a shareholder of UNDP, may Isafly assume that UNDP's re-branding, re-positioning combined with enterprise resource planning at the root level will ultimately realise the desired shareholder value? I do see the first concrete linings on the horizon, such as the customer-friendly labeling of corporate cars in a soothing blue and sufficiently sized letters that even the still 60% illiterate in Nepal can read and the people in the villages are going ape.
Mr. Karcher rightly said, "nobody knows" when the peace talks will begin but, reassuringly, United Nations Development Pretenders will be there.
"Hans Nix",
Jhamsikhel
